St. Mark the Evangelist was the author of second Gospel. He was the son of Mary of Jerusalem and a cousin of St. Barnabas.

Mark was a Levite and was possibly a minister in the local synagogue when he met Jesus. He is believed to have been the young man who fled naked when Jesus was arrested (Mark 14:51-52).

Mark accompanied Sts. Paul and Barnabas to Antioch in 44 and then to Cyprus. He was a companion of St. Paul on his first missionary journey but returned to Jerusalem (Acts 13:13). He disagreed with St. Paul but was with him in Rome during St. Paul’s first imprisonment (Col 4:10). An early tradition states that Mark was the first bishop of Alexandria, Egypt, and is possible the “John Mark” of Acts 12:25.

Mark’s Gospel was written probably between the years 60-70, based on the teaching of St. Peter. He was also called “the Interpreter of Peter” by his contemporaries. It is believed that Mark provided Sts. Matthew and Luke with the basic sources of their Gospels.

He died as a martyr in Alexandria, Egypt, and in the ninth century his relics were transferred to Venice, Italy. There they are enshrined in a beautiful cathedral dedicated to his honor. He is the patron saint of Venice. His main symbol is a winged lion.